CHAPTER FOURTEEN | London
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
London
“How do you come up with the names when you buy a new boat?” I ask, walking across the deck of the largest fishing vessel in the lineup—Northern Star.
So far today, we’ve walked through The Mary Time, which took a lot of damage in a pretty bad storm that moved through just a few days before I returned to town.
My dad thinks it’s not worth fixing, but I can tell Penn really wants to save it.
And a smaller vessel named Independence, which I know to be Travis’s boat.
Not surprisingly, he wasn’t there during our walk-through.
Since our little show the other day, he’s made himself scarce.
I’ve been hoping to run into him so that I can thank him. I wouldn’t have believed it, but that little kissing stunt of his really shifted things between me and Penn. Not that things are magically okay, but the last two days haven’t completely sucked.
Instead of dirty looks and silent treatments, Penn has actually been treating me like an employee.
He’s friendly, professional, and most importantly, not an a-hole.
I’ll take being treated like a subordinate over being treated like poop on the bottom of his shoe that he just can’t seem to scrape off any day.
“Depends on the boat,” Penn answers after a long beat, his back to me as he checks the gauges inside the cabin.
“Your dad named The Mary Time. That much I remember. Also, The Challenger, which he named in honor of the shuttle explosion. And Independence, which he bought on the Fourth of July weekend our junior year.”
“You remember all that?”
I pick up on the surprise in his voice but pretend I don’t notice.
“Of course I do.” I trace the lines of his back, muscles straining against his dark gray T-shirt.
I’m briefly distracted by just how good-looking adult Penn is. Don’t get me wrong, he’s always been attractive, but now... Let’s just say it’s hard not to look at him sometimes lest my thoughts get away from me.
“Where did this boat get its name?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything.
“I can’t remember,” he says after a long beat, his voice taking on a slight edge.
“Did your father name it? Or was it you? Because no way it was Alec or Walker.”
“What makes you say that?” He looks over his shoulder, his hazel eyes pinning me in place.
“From what I remember, your father never let the two younger boys name any of the boats because they couldn’t keep their minds out of the gutter and come up with something that didn’t sound like a sexual inuendo. So either he named it, or you did.”
He observes me for a moment before turning his attention back to the panel he’s been fidgeting with for the last ten minutes.
“I named it.”
“Any particular reason you chose Northern Star?” I press, not because I really care that much. In truth, I just like that he’s talking to me.
“Not really. Just liked the sound of it.”
“Makes sense. It’s a good name for a ship.”
“I thought so too.” He flips a switch on the panel. “Damn.”
“What is it?”
“There must be a short somewhere,” he says, gesturing to the radio. “Make a note that we’ll need to have your father come back out and look at it.”
“Will do.” I open the notebook I’ve been toting around with me the last couple of days. It’s full of odd and end jobs that need to be done, parts that need to be replaced, etc.
Penn has had me helping him get everything in order and I have to admit, it beats sitting in that office with knots in my stomach all day every day, not sure if I’ll see him and if I do, what kind of mood he’ll be in.
“I wondered where you two went off to.” I look up from my notebook just in time to see Alec enter the cabin. “Hey, LV.” He gives me a lopsided grin.
“Alec.” I return his smile.
“What’s up?” Penn straightens, turning toward his brother.
“Not much. Went to the office and when I saw neither of you was there, I thought I should track you down and make sure you were both still breathing.”
“Don’t worry, Alec. I have no intention of throwing your big brother overboard,” I tease.
“It’s not him I was worried about.” He winks.
“We’re trying to get actual work done here.” Penn doesn’t seem amused. Then again, I’m not sure he finds amusement in anything these days; he’s just so serious.
“Relax, I just came by to remind you that you’re paying the deposit for Walker’s party. It’s due today.”
“Why can’t you pay it?” Penn seems nothing if not annoyed.
“Because I have a crap ton of other things to get done. Besides, you said you’d take care of it.”
“It was your idea to do an open bar for him and all of his frat buddies. You realize the deposit probably isn’t even going to put a dent in the final bill.”
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you can afford it then, isn’t it? Besides, our little brother only turns twenty-one once. It’s our responsibility to make sure it’s a night he won’t soon forget.”
“Knowing you, you’ll have him so drunk that forget is exactly what he’ll do.”
“Remove the stick from your ass for one night, Penn. You think you can manage that?”
I silently watch the exchange between the two brothers, noticing not just how much things have changed, but how much has also stayed the same.
These two have always bickered like this.
In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to hear them have an actual conversation where one isn’t picking a fight with the other.
“What about you, LV?” Alec’s attention swings to me.
“What about me?”
“Walker’s twenty-first, Rockets, you in?”
“Oh, I don’t think—”
“Before you say no, remember that this is sure to be the most epic party Wren Cove has ever seen and you’re most definitely going to regret it if you miss it.”
“I think I’ll get over it. Besides, Walker probably doesn’t even remember me. I doubt he wants me crashing his party.”
“Like this one would let any of us forget you.” He gestures to his brother.
“Alec.” Penn’s voice drips with warning.
My heart stutters in my chest.
“Please come, LV. At least then I’ll know one interesting person will be there.”
“When is it?”
“Tomorrow night, eight o’clock, at Rockets.”
“Sorry, I have plans.” I huff to really relay my fake disappointment.
“Like what? Hanging out with Mommy and Daddy?”
“Ouch.” I flatten my palm against my chest.
“She said she doesn’t want to go, Alec,” Penn interjects. “Leave it.”
“Oh, she wants to go. She just doesn’t think you want her to go.” He seems to read my hesitation perfectly.
Truth is, I wouldn’t mind making an appearance, but I’m not in the habit of showing up at places where I’m not wanted.
Penn meets my gaze for a brief moment, as if trying to gauge the truth behind his brother’s words.
“You’re welcome to come if you want,” he says, his eyes darting back to Alec, almost like he can’t bear to look at me for too long.
“I appreciate that, but there are certain people I’d rather not see.”
“If you’re referring to Cat, they broke up.” Alec tries to hide the smile on his lips, but it still shines brightly in his eyes.
I figured that’s what Jos and I witnessed the other night, but I had not received actual confirmation until now. I can’t deny that this little bit of information makes me happier than it should.
“We didn’t break up. We were never together.” Penn is quick to correct his brother.
“Semantics. Either way, you are no longer sticking your di—”
“That’s enough.” Penn cuts Alec off before he can finish that particular sentence.
“What I meant is, Cat will not be there.” Alec doesn’t even attempt to hide his smile this time. “So, it’s settled. You’ll come?”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head, pretty certain Penn only said I was welcome to come because he’s trying to be nice, not because he actually wants me there. In fact, I think he most definitely does not want me there.
“I won’t take no for an answer,” Alec cuts in.
“Fine. I’ll come. But only if I can bring Jos.” I smile, expecting him to start backpedaling at any moment.
Then again, he doesn’t know I know that he and Jos hooked up. Though he should most definitely assume, considering we’ve been best friends for years.
“Awesome. The more the merrier.” He turns back to Penn before I have a chance to back out. “Don’t forget about the deposit. If you don’t pay it today, they won’t hold the back room for us.”
“I’ll take care of it as soon as we’re done here,” Penn says begrudgingly.
“Awesome.” Alec’s smile stretches from ear to ear. “I’ll see you two party animals tomorrow.” With that, he turns and practically skips away.
“I’m not going to go,” I say the second he’s out of earshot. “I wouldn’t impose on you like that.”
“You should come. It’s not an imposition. There’s going to be a ton of people there anyway.”
“Still, it doesn’t feel right.” I shake my head.
“Come, LV.” I don’t miss the way he uses my initials, something he hasn’t done since I returned home. It feels strange hearing him call me that after all these years.
“You’re sure?” I study his hard features, trying to get even an inkling as to what’s going on in that beautiful head of his, but he’s as stone-faced as ever.
“I am.”
“Okay.” I nod softly.
I’m still not entirely convinced he actually wants me to go, but the thought that maybe he does fills my chest with this weird flutter I find impossible to ignore.
I can’t deny that my heart quickens every time Penn walks into a room. That every fiber in my body tightens at the sight of him. That one look makes my skin feel like I’ve just stepped into an inferno.
Seven years and he still has a hold over me that I’m not sure I’ll ever understand.
I thought I left him behind seven years ago.
Now, I’m starting to wonder if I ever actually let him go or if I had just convinced myself I had because it was the only way to keep myself from running back home, back to him.
I can’t deny that I still love him. I think I’ll love him until the day I die. But I would be foolish to think there could ever be anything between us again.
The damage can’t be undone.
But that doesn’t mean that we can’t salvage some of what we once had.